When you are looking at a specific kind of red light emitted by hydrogen. This color-inverted photo was taken in October of last year by the Big Bear Solar Observatory's 1.6 meter New Solar Telescope. They say it looks like a rose, but I definitely see a thistle. »2/19/15 1:30am 2/19/15 1:30am

This photo, taken last week by NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), shows a "filament" of cooler solar material hovering over the surface of the sun. The effect is of a huge crack across the sun, as if something is preparing to burst out. »2/17/15 11:30pm 2/17/15 11:30pm

To celebrate the fifth anniversary of NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory, NASA put out this video of all the coolest, jaw dropping explosions that happened on our Sun over the past five years. You basically watch the Sun dances with shooting flares and solar loops. It's unreal. »2/12/15 2:05am 2/12/15 2:05am

Scientists working at the Solar Dynamics Observatory have spotted a massive solar filament that stretches across a good portion of the sun's visible surface. It's about 533,000 miles long (857,780 km) – equivalent to 67 Earths lined up in a row. »2/11/15 4:00pm 2/11/15 4:00pm

What would it look like if other stars were as close as the sun? For starters, we may have more than one, and it may be either much bigger or smaller than our current orbital star, as shown in these videos, which explore a hypothetical universe where our sun has been replaced with other stars and our moon with planets. »1/29/15 9:20am 1/29/15 9:20am

On January 19th, NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) released its 100 millionth image of the sun. This image is a processed multiwavelength blend made from the images taken on the 19th to honor the milestone. »1/21/15 12:30am 1/21/15 12:30am

New research suggests a surprising factor in human longevity. A look at 200 years of birth records found that high solar activity in a person's birth year was correlated with a five-year reduction in lifespan. »1/12/15 12:39am 1/12/15 12:39am

The main sequence star Sol sits at the center of a pretty nice system on the outer edge of a spiral galaxy. I did a full revolution on its third planet, and the view was great. Definitely up for another one. »12/31/14 6:57pm 12/31/14 6:57pm

A solar flare peaked at 7:28 p.m. EST on December 19, and the NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory caught this image of it. It was classified as X1.8-class. X-classes are the most intense flares, with an X-2 being twice as strong as an X-1. »12/23/14 11:30pm 12/23/14 11:30pm

The Solar Dynamics Observatory is in an inclined geosynchronous orbit to give it an almost-continuous view of the sun. This position gives it a unique perspective, watching lunar transits us here down on Earth never even see. »11/25/14 10:15pm 11/25/14 10:15pm

In about 4 billion years, our sun will become a red giant star, engulfing the inner planets and basking the outer planets in its ebbing heat. When the happens, according to a NASA scientist, Saturn's moon Titan, which resembles a frozen version of Earth billions of years ago, could evolve its own indigenous life. »11/24/14 12:15pm 11/24/14 12:15pm

The sun is spoiling us for superlatives. Last night, giant sunspot AR 2192 – the largest sunspot astronomers have observed in nearly 25 years – erupted in an X3.1-class solar flare, the most powerful of four flares to burst from the region since October 19th. »10/25/14 10:00am 10/25/14 10:00am

Last week, a solar flare flashed on the surface of the sun, just as our star erupted with a massive amount of burning ejecta. The twin explosions, captured by a NASA satellite called the Solar Dynamics Observatory, make for a gorgeous and violent portrait of our sun. »10/06/14 5:00pm 10/06/14 5:00pm

Our sun may look relatively constant from our far away perch on Earth, but up close it's a busy place, full of plasma activity, shifting magnetic fields, and, yes, even explosions. Here are the different kinds of solar explosions you might see, and how to tell the difference between them. »9/22/14 11:31am 9/22/14 11:31am

Every 11 years or so, our sun suddenly becomes a much busier place, with sunspots, flares, and all manner of activity bursting from its surface. But, although the results are clear enough, no one was quite sure why. Now, researchers think they've finally find an answer to this 4-centuries old scientific mystery. »9/03/14 2:27pm 9/03/14 2:27pm